Block-signaling apparatus.



No. 874,042. I PATENTED DEG. 1'7, 1907. J. D. TAYLOR. BLOCK SIGNALINGAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION mun 11119.24. 1907.

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J. D. TAYLOR. BLOCK SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24. 1907.

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WITNESSES m MW PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907 J. D. TAYLOR. BLOCK SIGNALINGAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1907.

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km (m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. TAYLOR, OF EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORTO THE UNIONSWITCH- & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYL min BLOCK-SIGNALING- APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. TAYLOR, of Edgewood Park, Allegheny county,Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Block-Signaling Apparatus,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in wh1ch as defined in the c Figure 1 is a verticalsection of the trans former used in connection with my invention; Fi 2is a horizontal section on the line 11 n (rin 1 Fig. 3 is an endelevation; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the use of Inimproved transformer in a block signa ing system, using alternatingcurrent electricity for propulsion pur oses. A

T 1e object of my invention is to provide block signaling apparatushaving a transformer especially designed for supplying alternatingcurrent to the track circuit of the system in a quantity to suit therequirements of the particular track section with which it is connected.

Heretofore it has been the practice to design transformers for thispurpose without any capability for adjustment, and having a capacitygreater than that re uired by the longest track section under t e worstconditions, and to adapt such transformer to other track sections bineansof external resistance inserted in tie circuit between thetransformer and the track. This, of course, results in a great waste ofpower, and causes a very large flow of current when the transformer isshort-circuited by. a train, making it more diliicult to shunt the relayI which controls the signals.

My invention provides a system having a transformer so constructed thatit may be adjusted to regulate the current and voltage .to suit anylength or condition of track circuit. I

The precise nature of my invention will be best understood by referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown one embodimentthereof, it being premised, however, that various changes may be madetherein without departing from my invention aims. In these drawings, 1is the core of a transformer which is built up of superimposedlaminations of thin sheet iron, in the usual manner.

2 is the primary coil, and 3 the secondary coil of the transformer. Thecentral portion of the core 1 between the two coils is cut away to formockets or openings for the two adjustable lers 4, which are alsocomposed of thin laminations of sheet iron, and which are adjustablysuspended within the pockets or slots in the core 1 by means of theverticall movable screws 5 sup orted by the top p ate 6 of thetransformer ame.

The .fillers 4 are sufiiciently long to almost fill the spaces in thecore 1, and thereby form an almost complete magnetic path between theprimary and secondary coils. Small airga s are, however, providedbetween the filers and the core, of the transformer, which are occupiedby strips 8 of fiber or other non-magnetic material, for preventingactual contact .of the fi lers with the core. These air-gaps are,rovided "for the purpose of preventing t e complete short -circuitingof the magnetic flux pro duced by one coil vent its passingthrough theother coil. The

which would entirely preair-gaps cause sufficient drop in magneticpotential from one branch of the core to the other across the fillers,so thatenou h of the flux produced by the primary coi will be forcedthrough the secondary coil to give the desired electro-motive force inthe latter. Since the drop of magnetic potential is pro portional to thereluctance of the path, and since the reluctance of an air gap isproportional to its length, and inversely proportional to its area, itwill be readily seen that the magnetic potential across the shunt pathformed by the fillers 4 can be varied at will by raising or lowering thefillers to thus decrease or increase the area of the air gaps betweenthem and the transformer core. 1

'llVhen a current is sent through the primary coil 2, the core 1 ismagnetized, art of the magnetic flux going through the lers '4 and thisencirclingonlythe primary coil,

while another part sultsin decreasing the flux through the secondarycoil and increasing that through the fillers 4. It will thus be seenthat as the current in the secondary coil increases, the amount of fluthrough it, and therefore the electro-motive force induced in it,rapidly decreases. When the fillers 4 are fully inserted into the spacesin the core 1, the current that it is possible todraw from the secondarycoil will be at a minimum. hen the transformer is connected to any giventrack section, the fillers Will be withdrawn until a point is reachedwhere the amount of current taken from the secondary coil is sufficientto operate the relay at the other end of the section or block. If thesection or block is long a reater electro-motive force will be re uireto overcome the resistance of the rails, and the fillers will thereforebe required to be withdrawn to a greater extent than is necessa with ashort section orblock, in order to al ow a greater amount of magneticflux to pass through the secondary coil and thus raise theelectro-motive force to the extent required by the long section.

Fig. 4 represents a system of circuits for a track section or block on aroad using an electric current for propelling trains. The alternator 10supplies currents to the rails 29 and 30 through a reactance bond 12. Asimilar bond 13 18 connected across the rails at the other end of theblock. The secondary coil 3 of the transformer is connected across therails 29 and 30 near one end of the block by the conductors 26 and 27,the primary coils being connected across the conductors 22 and 23,supplied by an alternator 9. 15 desi nates a relay of any suitablecharacter, wIiich governs the signal 18 near the opposite end of theblock. 32 and 33 are the conductors which connect the relay in the trackcircuit. 36 is the circuit for the signal 18 supplied by battery 17, and20 is a circuit-controlling device operated by the relay to control thecircuit 36.

Then alternating current is used for propelling purposes the currentsupplied to the primary coil 2 of the transformer by the generator 9should be of higher frequency than that supplied by the generator 10, sothat the relay 15 may be made to operate only by the current supplied bythe secondary coil 3 of the transformer; or the relay'l5 must be of suchcharacter as to operate only by the current supplied by the transformer.

The advantages of my invention result from the provision of means foradjusting the transformer to suit the conditions of the particulartrack-sections to which it is connected; fromthe great saving of powerrequired invthe primary circuit supplying'it; and from the completenesswith which'the greater than the normal working currentwhen the block isunoccupied, due to the fact that the voltage drops to almost zero whenthe transformer is short-circuited.

I do not desire to limit myself to the use of the transformer in theparticular signaling system described, since it may obviously be used inother systems.

What I claim is 1. In a signaling system, a transformer having primaryand secondary coils, a shunt magnetic path between said coils, and meansfor varying the reluctance of said magnetic path between the coils;substantially as de-.

scribed.

2. In a signaling system, a transformer having rimary and secondarycoils, and adjustab e fillers forming a shrnt magnetic path between saidcoils substantially as described.

3. In a signal system, a transformer, primary and secondary coilsconnected respectively to the line and track circuits, a core thereforhaving a member extending between the coils, said member having portionswhich can be adjusted to vary the magnetic circuit thereof;substantially as described.

4. In a signaling system, a transformer, primary and secondary coilsconnected respectively to the line and track circuits, a core having aportion between said coils, said portion having adjustable fillersforming a shunt path for the magnetic potential throu h the core;substantially as described.

5. n a signaling system, a transformer, primary andsecondarycoils'connected respectively to the line and track circuits, acore having a portion extending between said coils and formed withpockets or spaces therein, and fillers of magnetic material ad justablyseated in said pockets or spaces and separated therefrom by air-gaps;substantially as described.

6. In a signaling system, a transformer having a core po"tion extendingbetween its primary and secondary coils, said core portion havingair-gaps or spaces therein, and means for varying said gaps or spaces;substantially as described.

7. In a signaling, system, a normally closed track circuit, a relayconnected across said circuit and controlling a signal, and atransformer supplying the track-circuit and having an adjustable coreportion for regulating lated to suit the length or condition of the 10the voltage and current suppliedthereby; particular track-circuit;substantially as substantially as described. described.

8. In a block signaling system, a transl In testimony whereof, I havehereunto set former for supplying the trackcircuit, said my hand. 4transformer having a shunt magnetic path JOHN D. TAYLOR.

. between its coils, and means for varying the Witnesses:

reluctance of said path, whereby the voltage GE B. BLEMING, and currentsupplied thereby can be regu- GEO. H. PARMELEE.

